


Shades of Purple

by DecemberWildfire



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, M2M (Band)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-08 19:53:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 20,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5510906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DecemberWildfire/pseuds/DecemberWildfire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When they first met, he was the last person on earth she thought she would fall for. Nevertheless, fate takes its course: two star-crossed lovers who would end up fighting to the death on the last day. This story explores Venus and Kunzite’s relationship before the fall. (Based on the album by M2M)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Don't Say You Love Me

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: As the description says, this story is based on M2M's album Shades of Purple. Each chapter title is the name of the song that inspired it. I tried to stay true to the song meanings each time, without getting too carried away. This is a Silver Millennium story, written in a more modern setting than most.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon, M2M, Gilmore Girls, Pokemon etc etc etc. Everything referenced in the story belongs to the respective owners.

I walked through the door and found them cuddling on the living room couch. Again. I knew they were just being cute, but I felt pretty awkward as I quietly walked through the room towards the next hall.

"Venus, you're back!" Princess Serenity excitedly jumped up and ran over to hug me.

"Good to see you again, Princess. Hey, Endymion."

"Hi Venus. How was the trip home?"

"Oh, the usual. Nothing exciting. Although, during my parents' Sunday tea last week, my snobby cousin tripped over Artemis' tail while carrying a full pot of hot tea and spilled the whole thing all over her thousand-dollar dress. I quite enjoyed that."

"Oh my gosh, Abbey?" Serenity clasped her hands over her mouth as to avoid laughing obnoxiously loud.

"Yeah, Abbey. I would pay good money to see her face again."

"Me too, that sounds hilarious!"

"You two seem to have a strange sense of satisfaction over other this person's misery," Endymion joked.

"Oh Endy, if you only knew that girl," Serenity flopped back on the couch and wrapped her arms around him.

"Cool. Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to retreat to my room to unpack my things."

"See you later."

I wrapped up the sufficiently awkward moment and descended down the hall.

Serenity looked at her prince. "We need to get her a man."

"What?" he laughed.

"I'm serious! She's the Senshi of beauty and _love_ , and she's been single all her life. I think she'd be happy if she found someone."

"You can't just force romance like that. It needs to happen naturally, like ours did." He locked hands with her. "Please don't try anything to intrude in her life."

Serenity sat there and snickered.

"Serenity? I'm being serious here."

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It was a regular evening at the moon kingdom. I was patrolling the palace for my usual night shift. I enjoyed being scheduled at this time because I got to watch the sunset. It was a different view than from earth, but still so beautiful.

Serenity would probably be having Endymion over tonight. Jupiter was on Earth on a date with some mystery guy who she's refused to disclose information about as of yet. Mercury would be in the library all night as usual, and Mars in the temple meditating. Since there was nothing out of the ordinary going on and I had no plans for after the patrol, I figured it would be a good night to put on slippers and read my book with a cup of cocoa in hand.

The sun went down and it was completely dark other than the shining palace lights, signifying the end of my shift. I locked up the gates to the garden in the back and went inside.

The moment I walked in, zoning out and staring at the ground, I jumped back in shock as I almost ran into someone standing there in front of me. Some man I never met before.

Serenity happily ran up and placed a friendly hand on his shoulder. "Venus, this is Adonis. He's from your home planet. We met the other day, and he's really great! I thought you two should meet and spend some time together? You'd make great friends!"

She nudged him towards me.

_She didn't. This isn't happening. I don't believe this…_

"It is an absolute honor to finally meet you, Princess Venus." Adonis looked into my eyes and kissed my hand.

"Um… yeah. Hey, could you excuse us for just one quick second? Thanks!"

I grabbed Serenity by the arm and dragged her into the kitchen.

"What the hell is this? What in the world were you thinking? Setting me up with some guy I don't know? You KNOW how I feel about these things, Serenity! You couldn't have at least asked me first?"

"Look, I know you're mad, but I knew you'd act this way if I asked first! Just give it a chance… you might have a really good time."

"No way."

"Come on!"

"Serenity I am NOT doing this."

"Well he's already here. We can't just turn him away and tell him to go home. That's rude. Just one night!"

I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily. " _Fine_. You owe me BIG TIME for this."

I shoved the door open and walked back out, forcing a smile. "Hey… Adonis, was it? Look, I've had a long day and I'm pretty worn out… what do you say we just hang out here and watch TV? Ever heard of Gilmore Girls?"

I hoped the suggestion would turn him off.

He gave a slight smile. "You're funny. Actually, I have a plan for the evening. Would you kindly accompany me?"

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We pulled into the local drive-in theater. Endymion had sent some people over to the moon to build it a while back. The first Pokemon movie was playing that night; apparently a popular film on Earth. I was so not prepared for going out that night, but appreciated the silence. We would watch the movie, eat popcorn, and then I could go home.

About halfway through the film, I felt him put his arm around me. I chose to ignore it and not make a big deal about it. I mean, I guess this was technically a date, so that kind of gesture was to be expected. I can't lie, he _was_ cute and what many girls would consider "all that". But I just wasn't interested. He's not my type. After some time, I turned to ask him to pass the popcorn, and before I could even blink, he kissed me.

Once I realized what was happening I pulled away. "Whoa. What's that about?" I asked in mild disgust.

"I love you, Venus. I have since the moment I laid my eyes on you."

"No, don't say you love me. You don't even know me. If you really want me, then give me some time. I-" I let out a soft sigh. "You know, maybe I should just go. Don't worry about driving me, I can protect myself. I'm a guardian. Thanks for the movie, it was nice, and… um, bye."

I shut the door to that cheap rental car, walked past some dancing teens over by the snack bar, and made my way back to the palace.

"Sooo," Serenity had been waiting up on the couch. "How did it go?"

I couldn't even speak to her. I just sighed angrily and kept walking to my room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yes, I know Venus and Adonis aren't supposed to meet during the silver millennium, but I figured I'd explore how it could've gone down if that did happen, while still keeping it a VenusxKunzite ship. Also had to stay true to the song, and so that's why it was so awkward between them.
> 
> I'm making this story more modern-day, especially with the technology aspect. I know that's not super realistic but it's just for fun and to make it a little different from every other story.


	2. Pretty Boy

"You look beautiful, Your Highness."

I was finishing up Queen Serenity's hair and makeup for her party that night. Not gonna lie, I'm kind of a pro at cosmetology.

"Thank you, dear. Your work is always appreciated. Why don't you take a break and have some time to yourself before the guests arrive? I insist."

"Thank you, Your Highness." I bowed and went out back into the gated garden.

I stared at the fountain for a while, listening to the splashing of the thin waterfall. Eventually I sat down on the edge of it and looked out at the sky. It had been a week since that awkward date with Adonis, and I had forgiven Serenity, though we still hadn't spoken since then. It was really beautiful outside that night, and I would've loved to just stay out here the whole evening, but my presence was required at this party. The queen invited numerous kingdoms from different planets to attend. It would be a full house of royalty. Kings and queens, princes and princesses, and all of their main warriors.

I started to hear noise inside, which meant it was time to head in and be prepared to go into hospitality mode. The queen insisted that we guardians should just focus on having fun and enjoying ourselves, but I was in the habit of attending to guests' needs and running around as the planner of most events that took place at the palace. So I spent some time making sure everything was in order, but after a while I kind of just felt like being an introvert for once and avoiding people. I found Mercury at a table, eating Jupiter's appetizers and holding her current book.

"Hey. Still reading _The Reason_?" I sat down and started pouring a glass.

"Yes, I simply cannot put it down. It's phenomenal. Lacey Sturm is amazing. Have you finished it yet?"

"No, not yet. I've been trying to, but I keep getting… interrupted. But I guess it's good to savor it too."

"That's true. I could read about her testimony all day."

"Same. Hey, do you know any of these people, other than the ones from your planet's kingdom? I swear I've never seen any of them before."

"I can't say that I have either. I don't even think I've ever met anyone from Endymion's palace other than Endymion himself, so I wouldn't be able to even point them out."

"Neither could I. It honestly feels kind of awkward to me, with everyone from Venus knowing what happened with Adonis, and Princess Serenity and I haven't been on the greatest of terms since then. If you don't mind, I'll probably just hang here with you the rest of the night."

"That's perfectly fine with me."

"Sweet. I'm going to go grab some food; I'll be back."

The food table was surprisingly empty. Jupiter's keish is the absolute BEST, and had just been brought out so it was still fresh. I didn't even want to grab a plate. I just started eating right there. I don't know most of these people, so who cares what they think, right? Meh. I decided to slow down. I poured a glass of punch, and mid-sip I turned my head and saw a tall, silver-haired man standing there next to me.

I sort of jumped in shock of the sudden presence there and almost started choking on punch.

"Gosh! You're like Ruth Gordon, just standing there with a tannis root. Make a noise!" [1]

"A reference to an excellent film," the man said. "I did not mean to startle you."

"Right. I'm just-"

"Eating all of the keish before everyone else does?"

I rolled my eyes at the evident judgment. _The nerve of this jerk_.

"Why do you care?" I hissed.

"Just making an observation."

"Great. We'll build a dome over you and jam a telescope in your head." [2]

"No need to get so defensive, Princess. I am merely articulating what I am seeing. It would be unfortunate if you attracted the attention of people who would actually cast judgment on you."

"No, what's _unfortunate_ is that group of girls over there giggling and making googly eyes at you, and the fact that you're clearly over here to avoid them." I tilted my head slightly to look at those girls in the distance behind him who couldn't possibly be more obvious. "Well, pretty boy? Are you going to go make them swoon? Or would you rather stay here and continue this ever so delightful conversation?" I smirked.

He smirked back at me. "Actually, I believe I should return to attending to my prince. So if you'll excuse me, Your Highness. And I'll get working on that dome." He began walking past me.

"Your prince?" I called out.

"Indeed. I am Kunzite, the head general of Prince Endymion's kingdom."

"Prince Endymion? You don't say…" I began to smile and ponder that, letting out a grunty laugh.

"And miss… Venus, correct? I really was not judging you. Princess Jupiter has a phenomenal talent in the culinary department, so it's completely understandable."

"Wait, how do you know Jupiter?"

"Easy. She is dating my fellow general, Nephrite."

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"Oh, there you are. You were gone for a while." Mercury set the book down again.

"Yeah, well. I can say I know someone now. Oh and get this: Jupiter's mystery man is one of Endymion's generals!"

"Really? That's ironic. I guess Serenity might not be the only one who could end up marrying into the royalty of that kingdom."

"I still think it's crazy that the queen has allowed such free contact between us and earth like this, but she knows them far better than I do."

"Attention!" the MC said through the mic. "This next dance is for all of the couples in the room. And to all of the single men and women out there, feel free to grab a partner if you want to participate in the slow dance for fun. We'll resume the regular dances after this song."

"Hey Mercury, I bet Jupiter's guy came here with Endymion. Let's watch for them."

There were tons of couples on the dance floor, but eventually we caught sight of him. Long, dark brown hair, a dark blue suit, and surprisingly taller than her. He seemed a little odd, but still chivalrous nevertheless.

"WAIT," I paused. "Is that Mars over there? Who's that blonde guy?"

Mercury looked equally intrigued. "I don't know, but that's just… surprising. Mars hates both dances and men. She must have really found him interesting."

"I wonder if-" I felt a hand gently placed on my shoulder.

"You've been hiding in this corner all night," Kunzite said in that deep voice. "Do you want to keep hiding, or would you care to join me in this dance?"

I flipped my hair and gave him a sassy look. "Oh? And what's in it for me, pretty boy?"

"I'm rescuing you. That old man from Mars' kingdom has been staring at you all night." He motioned over to the back wall where this creepy guy was standing. I hadn't noticed him there, but I felt like he was staring into my soul and it freaked me out a little.

"Okay, yeah, let's go." I quickly stood up and moved away from there to the dance floor.

"So… I guess we-" I stopped talking as he placed his hands in the traditional slow-dance position. I did likewise, and the initial awkwardness faded away soon enough.

"Thanks for saving me," I said quietly. I looked back up and he actually gave a genuine smile and had this look in his eyes that was kind of… sweet.

"It is my job to protect people, after all."

"So, with all of the times Prince Endymion has been here… why haven't I ever seen you before? I mean, with you being his head general and all."

"To be honest, parties and other gatherings alike aren't really my forte. But I was pleased to come tonight, as it meant a great deal to your queen."

"She sure seems to like you guys down there on Earth."

"That feeling is mutual for all of you up here."

"Oh gosh," my tone of voice changed to freak-out mode. "That creepy guy moved and is looking over here. Let's move away." I quickly rotated us to face the other way and moved behind other people out of a short panic. Kunzite gave a friendly smirk.

"You're an interesting person, Venus. And I don't mean that in a demeaning way. It honestly was nice to have made your acquaintance tonight."

"As weird as it is to say, it was nice for me too." I finally returned a genuine smile.

The song ended and I felt oddly disappointed.

"Thank you for your company," he said with a respectful bow.

"Yeah, you too." I couldn't help but watch him walk away until he was out of sight behind the hordes of people.

I returned to the table with Mercury, who had also been asked by some guy with a long ponytail to dance. I didn't see Kunzite for the rest of the night.

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The guests slowly started leaving and the room felt spacious again. The other Senshi and I helped clean up the place and restore it to its original setup. It was late and I was exhausted. I couldn't wait to get to bed.

Strangely enough though, despite being as tired as I was, I could not get to sleep for the longest time that night. For a while I was thinking about how I would make amends with Serenity and hopefully things could go back to normal with us, minus the random surprise blind dates. But after that… I just could not stop thinking about Kunzite. That mysterious, handsome, silver-haired man, who not only put up with my snarkiness, but also went along with it and was basically up to my level.

_I'm not falling for him. I'm not. He's just really handsome and seems like a solid guy._

I finally drifted off to sleep. And my dream started off as a nightmare, with that creep who was staring at my during the party, except he had me cornered and wanted to stab me to death with a knife. For some reason I didn't have my Venus powers and couldn't do a thing. But then Kunzite came in, fought him off with his sword, and brought me to safety. He had rescued me again, and in the strangeness of my dream, I kept repeating lines to myself…

_Oh, my pretty pretty boy I love you_

_Like I never ever loved no one before you_

_Pretty pretty boy I do_

_Let me inside_

_Make me stay right beside you_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1 & 2 – Gilmore Girls quotes. I couldn't help it. Plus I was watching that show while writing this, so ya know.
> 
> Also, as stated at the beginning and as you've probably noticed, I'm writing in more of a modern-day setting, even though it's the silver millennium and supposed to be more prehistoric. On the show whenever it would show flashbacks and all that, it looked pretty modern most of the time so I thought I'd go with it. Plus it makes it easier, you know, writing in the setting of the time we actually live in. /lazy
> 
> And really tho, you should read Lacey Sturm's The Reason. It's incredible.


	3. Dear Diary

 "But mother!"

"No means no, Serenity. It is enough that I allow you and Endymion to visit each other whenever you please, but I cannot have you getting too involved on Earth, especially in unfamiliar territory."

"What's going on?" I walked into the room after eavesdropping.

"Serenity wants to go to a concert with Endymion tomorrow night," the queen calmly explained. "But it is taking place in what is known as a dangerous town."

"But mother, he's the prince of the whole Earth! And all of his generals will be there to protect us. We will be fine!"

"Serenity, you are my daughter and the princess of this kingdom. I cannot risk your safety like that."

"Well… if it's any consolation, Your Highness, I personally trust them to keep her safe. I could go with her if that would make you feel better about it?"

"That's very kind of you to offer, Venus, but I don't want to make you do that."

"No really, I don't mind. I can get Mercury to cover my patrol."

The queen thought for a moment. "Okay. I have, after all, entrusted you as her head guardian. I shouldn't be conditional about it."

"YES! Thanks friend!" The princess excitedly left the room to tell Endymion.

_Well,_ I thought, _I guess that counts as making amends_.

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_Dear Diary,_

_I'm going to some concert on Earth tomorrow night. I mostly volunteered to go in an effort to make up with Serenity, which was successful to say the least. But also… I can't lie, I liked the idea of being able to spend time with Kunzite, knowing he'd be there._

_Ugh. I need to stop. That stupid dream I had has been messing with my head. I don't need a relationship right now. I'm fine where I'm at. I'm Serenity's head guardian and need to focus on that. How am I to do that if I'm always hanging out with some guy? Plus… Kunzite's just… interesting. He was really pissing me off at first during that party, before he decided to be charming and all that. Or maybe he was just being sassy because I was. I don't know. Let's just see what happens at this concert I guess._

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The small town the concert was taking place at was about an hour's drive away from where Endymion's palace was. We rode in a fancy limousine, during which Serenity was updating me on her life and all the adventures she and Endymion had during the time we weren't speaking. The four generals were sort of off on their own, just chilling on the other side. I finally got to meet Jadeite, Nephrite and Zoisite, all of whom were either dating or interested in the other guardians. Ironic. I tried not to worry about Kunzite too much, but sometimes it was just hard. I couldn't help but turn my head back and get a quick glance at him every so often, though I pretended not to actually care, and really tried to convince myself that I honestly didn't.

That town was pretty sketchy, not gonna lie, but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. The venue was nice at least. It was indoors, but the roof was open. This was an acoustic concert starring a Christian folk band called Run River North, one of Endymion's favorite groups. It was nice, soothing music. I could tell they were passionate. We were all seated up in a private balcony since we were with the prince.

_"It's the choices we make that bring glory_

_Glory to His name . . . glory to His name . . . glory to His name . . . glory to His name"_

As they continued to sing and play those violins and acoustic guitars, I looked up at the sky and said a short prayer in my head. I didn't want to let romance distract me or cause me to drift. But oh, how easy it would be to let that happen…

After some time, I looked over at Kunzite, over on the other side of the balcony with his men. At times they would be talking, and other times he just looked so Zen, like he was in some kind of mysterious trance. I mentally yelled at myself every time I caught myself blushing.

_Stop it. Remember how obnoxious and snarky he was at the party before? I don't even want a relationship right now. I can't get distracted from my mission. But at the same time…_

Suddenly, the other three men seemed to settle down and just watch the show. Kunzite went over to say something to Endymion, and then casually made his way over to me.

"Have you ever heard this group?" he asked nonchalantly.

"I have not. But I can dig their music. I like the message."

"As do I. Passion for God and using their talents for Him are qualities that I respect and appreciate."

"Me too. I also like how this music's not even cheesy."

" _Said I will love in this life until I finally have to go,"_ they sang. " _...Growing up child, is just a matter of time, for giving all you've got, so won't you dance under the sun."_

He turned to me slightly. "I can sense a similar passion in you, Venus. A passion for something out there. It's truly a good quality to have."

I blushed a little. As I turned away from facing the stage to face him, I spastically knocked my water bottle off the edge of the balcony. I panicked a little and looked down to make sure it didn't knock anyone out.

He smirked a little. "And… I can see that gracefulness is _not_ so much among your stronger qualities."

"Excuse me, pretty boy! Who do you think I am? I'm the princess of Venus! I don't even live on this planet. I can do what I want!" I grabbed the foil my hot dog was wrapped in and crumbled it up, ready to throw it off the edge, before stopping and letting my better judgment get the best of me.

"You won't do it," he teased.

I turned my head back to him with that classic "offended-but-not-really" look on my face. "Watch me."

I chucked it over with all of my strength, but the wind kicked up, of all times, and the foil ball landed at the foot of the stage and started rolling across, right as the band finished playing a song. They watched it roll by with mild confusion, and then looked up at our balcony. I turned super red in the face and in the spur of the moment shouted out "Sorry!" and then turned around and moved away from sight, hiding in the back. Kunzite looked down slightly and laughed, walking away from the edge and going back over to the other generals.

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On the way back, I sat alone in the corner of the limo, still feeling embarrassed by what I did at the concert. Serenity and Endymion thought it was hilarious, though the prince sort of felt bad for thinking so. I was mostly just feeling like an idiot, making a fool of myself in front of Kunzite like that. So much for making a good impression. He'd probably never want to talk to me again, at least in front of his three friends, who were probably making fun of me the whole ride back.

After a while, Kunzite finally got up and came over to sit with me.

"You're awfully quiet."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I know. I was stupid, spasmodic, embarrassing and disgraceful. Ha ha. Let it out. I got mad and did something stupid, okay? GET OVER IT."

"Why are you so ashamed by this? There is really no reason to be. I found it quite hysterical, in a good way. I am sure it gave the band a night to remember, and it gives you a good story to tell in the future."

I sat up a little and breathed a bit easier. "I guess."

"I'm sorry if I offended you earlier, and, well… caused this in the first place. You must understand that there has never been a single comment I have made that has been with the intent to offend you or be demeaning in any way. You seem to have a rather… sassy nature, and so I choose to go along with it. It has seemed to me that you would appreciate that sort of thing."

I kept looking down, afraid of blushing if I did anything else. "I do," I muttered.

"Keep doing you, Venus. Politeness and gracefulness are overrated."

He got up and went back over to where he was, and I stayed silent, finally looking up and watching him walk away.

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_Dear Diary,_

_Well, I had a less-than-proud moment at the concert to say the least. But even so, Kunzite doesn't think I'm a total freak. In fact, he seemed to find it… dare I say, cute. He was actually really sweet about it in the end. Does he like me? I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I just have a feeling. And me? …_

_Oh, who am I kidding? I can't lie anymore. I like him, okay? I just…_

_I wanna talk to him again, but whenever he is with his friends, he keeps trying to pretend…_

_But I already see the way he feels for me._

_What can I do? Tell me, what can I say? When do I let him know I feel the same way?_

_How can my feelings be so hard to show when… I really want him to know…_


	4. Do You Know What You Want

"Hey everyone! I would like to introduce you to someone. This is Nephrite."

Jupiter brought her mystery man out into the garden where she called us all to meet.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you all," he bowed humbly. "Jupiter has told me many great things about you."

"So _this_ is the guy you've been hiding from us!" Princess Serenity shamelessly blurted out.

"We wanted to both be sure that we wanted to pursue this relationship before we made it public," Jupiter explained.

"It is good to finally meet you in person," Mercury said. "You seem to make our friend here very happy."

"This little lady means the world to me," he wrapped an arm around her. "Making her happy is one of my missions in life, in addition to serving God and my prince."

"So, what's your story?" I asked. "How did you guys meet?"

"Well, to tell the truth," Jupiter began to blush slightly as she looked up at him and back at us. "I didn't like him at all when we met. We just seemed like two completely different people who wouldn't get along. This was one of the times I went to Earth to pick up Serenity. But the next time I went, there he was again. And he was just so charming and I could tell he was interested in me. And it turned out we actually have a lot of common interests, like stargazing and martial arts. And not to mention, he enjoys my cooking like no other," she giggled.

I felt my heart shake a little bit. _She disliked him at first? Thought they'd never work? That sounds a little familiar…_

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The gathering died down and people started to go back to whatever they were doing. However, Jupiter and Nephrite decided to hang out at the garden tables and have tea, and invited me to join them. Since I didn't have anything else going on that day, I decided to accept the offer. Artemis hung out too, and was surprisingly quiet. I was just interested in getting to know this guy a little more. In addition, he was one of Kunzite's closest friends, right…? *Shameful mental facepalm*

"So, what do you do for a living, Nephrite?" I asked.

"My role is to protect my prince in our kingdom. Kunzite is our leading officer, but it is the duty of all four of us generals to ensure our prince's safety at all times and to serve him in any way that he needs or requests."

"Sounds exactly like what we do for our princess here. I guess that's another thing you two have in common."

He looked at her lovingly and locked hands with her. "This pretty thing would captivate me every moment even if we had nothing in common at all. She's sweet and beautiful." He paused for a second and looked a little sad. "I only wish Kunzite could be happy like I am…"

"Wait what? What do you mean?" I was suddenly extremely awake and confused.

"His psycho girlfriend, Carly. She's been around a lot more lately. They have been together for two years, but that woman is CRAZY and treats him and everyone else like trash."

I felt my heart sink into an abyss and shatter when it hit the bottom. _He… he has a girlfriend? But… that doesn't make any sense. He seemed so into me. Was he just using me?_

"I just met her today," Jupiter added. "He's not exaggerating."

"Well… why does he stay with her if she's so horrible?" I managed.

"To be honest, I really don't know. Perhaps he just doesn't want to break her heart. The one thing I do know though, is he has always found her extremely attractive. He's always liked girls like her: dark brown hair, light gray eyes that are the color of an overcast sky, and someone who's not a pushover and who doesn't take crap from anyone. It's mostly the look though. That's the only kind of girl he's ever pursued."

"Oh…" my heart sank deeper.

"He could do so much better though. He's always making girls swoon over him through kindness without even trying or meaning to, because that's just the kind of person he is. Jadeite and Zoisite are content with where they're at, and that's fine, but it pains me to see one of my brothers so unhappy in his relationship. I really wish he would go after someone nicer."

"Yeah…" I slouched back in my chair and sank down a little. "Me too."

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"Venus! What are you doing? Shouldn't you be getting ready for Endymion's birthday party?" Serenity eagerly asked as she stood in my doorway.

"No, I don't think I'll be going. I'm… not feeling too well."

"Oh come on! Everyone will be there. It's really important to him that we all go."

"I know. I'm sorry. I just really don't feel good tonight. I'll figure out a way to make it up to him."

Serenity walked over and aggressively placed a hand on my forehead. "You're fine. Now would you please get ready? There have been times when his generals didn't want to come to our parties, but they came anyway because it was important to my mother."

I sighed. That was true, I can't deny it. "Fine. Give me an hour. I'll have to be a little bit late."

She shut the door and I started browsing my closet. The majority of my dresses were orange to represent my planet. But I felt like changing it up a bit… and potentially being a little less recognizable. I put on a long red gown, tied my hair in a high bun, and applied some darker eye makeup.

"Venus?" Artemis walked into the room.

"Yes?"

"…You really love him, don't you? That's why you don't want to go tonight."

I was quiet for a moment. "You know something? The only thing that makes me sadder than knowing I can't be his girlfriend, is the thought of someone else treating him badly."

He jumped on the bed behind me as I was looking through my dresser mirror, putting on a diamond necklace. "You have a good heart, Venus. You always have. You'll be really good for someone someday. Just because Kunzite wasn't the one doesn't mean you should lose heart."

I turned around. "I'll go, I'll make an appearance, and I'll leave. Maybe we can watch Gilmore Girls tonight, eh?" He hated that show but always put up with me when I wanted to watch it.

"Sure. Whatever you want tonight."

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I had never seen Endymion's palace so packed. The people of Earth sure were fond of him and were excited to honor him and celebrate. Like Queen Serenity's royal ball a couple weeks ago, I hardly knew anyone in that room and felt real awkward. Unfortunately, this time there was no table in the corner that I could hide at with Mercury. I couldn't find anyone from the moon at all, for that matter. I wandered around for a while, hoping to quickly find the prince and wish him a happy birthday and give him his gift: an honorary gemstone from Venus. On my planet, it's customary to gift respectable people with such stones on occasions like this.

He was nowhere to be found, but I did finally run into a familiar face. Mars was with Jadeite, looking all lovey-dovey, but the moment she saw me she pulled away from him and acted like nothing was going on. I decided not to ask about it, as to avoid pissing her off.

"Hey, have you seen Serenity or the prince anywhere?"

"Yeah, they've been going around. You'll run into them eventually."

"Any idea where they are now?"

"Not really. You sure seem in a hurry."

"I'm under the weather. I just didn't want to not show up and appear to be rude."

"Well I can't help you. Just keep looking. I have to go find Mercury. Rumor has it she's got a new guy friend…"

She disappeared into the crowd and Jadeite casually followed. I was curious to see Mercury with her guy (who I knew was Zoisite but kept my mouth shut about it), but figured if it was anything like Jupiter's relationship with Nephrite, she would introduce us all in time.

I kept wandering around through the crowds when some girl aggressively bumped into me when I was zoning out.

"Oh, sorry," I said, snapping back into reality.

"Out of my way, skank!" she screamed.

She stormed off and I turned around to watch, open-mouthed and frozen. _What the HELL is her problem?!_

I shook it off and continued my quest. After about 10 more minutes, I FINALLY found them.

"Happy birthday, Prince." I did a friendly courtsey and gave him the box.

"Thank you very much, Venus. I'm glad you could make it."

"It was my pleasure. Unfortunately I think I'll be taking an early night, as I haven't been feeling too well today."

"It's no problem at all, Princess. It was good to see you. Hope you feel better."

I nodded and respectfully departed. On my way to the door, I caught sight of Kunzite's shining silver hair. He saw me and made eye contact before I had a chance to look away and keep walking. As not to appear rude or like I was avoiding him for a reason he couldn't have known, I started making my way over. Then I saw that obnoxious girl who ran into me earlier. She began talking to Kunzite, and then I took a closer look… dark hair, gray eyes… _Oh my gosh. That's Carly?!_

She eagerly kissed his cheek, but he clearly didn't want to make a PDA scene, so he gently pulled away and looked over at me as I walked up. When Carly caught sight of me, she gave me the death glare. I chose to ignore it.

"Hey…" I began. "Fun party. How are you doing?"

"Doing well. I did not recognize you at first."

"Well, you know how it goes. We guardians change our outfits and instantly we're unrecognizable. It's the superhero syndrome. I once spent a month on Venus out of uniform and not one person knew who I was. It was pretty great."

Carly began to nudge him.

"This is my girlfriend, Carly. I don't believe you two have met."

"Hi," I said in the friendliest voice I could muster.

She smiled for like half a second in the snottiest, most obviously fake way I'd ever seen from anyone in my life. _Like, really? Are you even trying to fake it right now?_

She looked back up at him. "Kunzite, go get me some wine."

"You've already had three glasses tonight, dear." He looked annoyed.

"GO GET ME SOME WINE."

He sighed. "Excuse me, Miss Venus."

When he was gone, she turned back to me and got up in my face. "I don't know what you think you're doing, but you are going to stop NOW."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't talk, tramp! Just listen! I saw the way you were looking at him. You were flirting. So don't try to play dumb with me! I don't care who you are or where you came from; this will end NOW."

"Right. Because I'm a girl, so I MUST be out to steal your man."

"I'm sorry… what's that noise? _What is that noise_? Oh wait, it's me, STILL TALKING. If you know what's good for you, you'll stay away from both of us. I will not allow him to waste his time and energy with some dumb blonde bimbo who thinks it's cute to hit on someone else's man."

I hated her. I hated her so much. She was literally inches away and it took all of my strength and willpower to not get physical and make a scene. It would've been _Mean Girls_ in real life.

"Calm yourself, psycho! Damn, people weren't kidding about you being crazy. You have no idea who I am or what I'm capable of, and trust me, YOU'RE the one who should be scared about crossing MY line. So back off!"

She looked angrier than ever. There was fire in her eyes. It kind of amused me, actually. "We'll see who's laughing in the end." With that, she walked away and found her man. She took the wine he had and kissed him very dramatically, looking back at me before dragging him away.

_Man… I sure hope she's nicer to him behind the scenes. He's too smart to stay with someone like that if she was really that awful all the time._

He still looked all serious, but I couldn't help but notice him turn his head and give me one last loving look before disappearing.

_Someone who treats you right; stay with you day and night; I can tell that's what you need. I know just what to do; I'll take good care of you. You can get that from me._

_I can tell she's not treating you right, every time you look at me. So which one will you choose? You look so confused._

_Tell me the truth: do you know what you want?_

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I came home to an empty palace. I couldn't get over my anger at Carly, or my sadness for Kunzite. I walked into the living room and Artemis came to greet me.

"You look stressed out. Did something happen?"

I suddenly started to tear up unexpectedly. I knelt down and started stroking the cat. "I want him to be happy. That's what I want. He just needs to figure out what _he_ wants."

He looked up, trying to see my face under my hair. "Venus…?"

"…Even if it's not me. Just someone better." A tear fell down.

"Hey. Gilmore Girls?"

I let out a small laugh and hugged the cat close. "Yeah. I could use that."


	5. Girl In Your Dreams

My back was hurting when I woke up. I had fallen asleep on the couch last night during my Gilmore marathon, and evidently in an awkward position. Serenity walked into the room.

"Feeling any better?"

"In a way," I said as I painfully held my back and stretched.

"Well, you missed the big rumor last night. Mercury and Zoisite are supposedly together now."

"So I heard. I guess they also want to wait before making it public."

"Also, Mars and Jadeite are a thing too. But don't tell her I told you or she'll kill me."

"I picked up on that as well. It's funny seeing them try to hide it but failing miserably. They're kind of adorable."

Serenity let out a content sigh while still smiling at me.

"Venus, that just leaves you."

"Excuse me?"

"I don't mean that in a bad way. But… you're known as the goddess of love, and so it just makes me sad that you haven't found anyone yet. Isn't there _anyone_ you've had interest in? Anyone at all?

I figured I might as well tell her at this point. I just wanted to tell _someone_ … and have someone else besides my cat to talk about it with.

"Yeah, actually there is." I sat up slowly. "Gosh, it's so stupid though. I mean, with you and Endymion, and the other three dating three of his generals…"

" _Venus…"_ she said suggestively.

"It's Kunzite. And I swear it has nothing to do with the fact that he's Endymion's general or the stupid irony that all of us have fallen for someone in his kingdom."

"Oh my goodness!" she got all excited and came over to sit in front of me on the couch. "You two would be so cute! Except…"

"Yeah, I know. Carly."

"He's not on the market. I'm really sorry."

"It's fine. I never wanted to pursue him in the first place. Falling for him just sort of… happened."

"She seems kinda mean though."

"Psh, _that's_ an understatement."

"She wasn't too bad towards Endymion and me, but she seemed pretty harsh towards most other people."

"You have _no_ idea…"

"If you really feel strongly for him, I think you should tell him. I don't think he's happy with her. Maybe this could give him an excuse to finally leave that relationship."

"That's so not cool though. I can't just waltz in and steal someone else's man. Imagine someone trying to do that with Endymion?"

"Yeah, but he's actually happy with me. And I know Kunzite would be happy with you. I just know it!"

"Carly's a psychomaniac and I'm not gonna go there."

"Imagine the regret you'll feel years later knowing you let this chance pass. And also, by not doing this you're letting him stay miserable."

"He's a grown man. He's more than capable of breaking up with her if he wants to."

"I'm just hearing a bunch of excuses. Would you please at least just think about it?"

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I spent the whole rest of the day journaling about this idea. The more I wrote, the more motivated I got to actually do it, strangely enough. Oh gosh… do I really think that this is _actually_ a good idea? It was Serenity's suggestion, after all. I love her to death and would take a bullet for her, but when it comes to matters in this department, well… she can get a bit too excited and carried away and isn't always the most logical in thinking.

I wrote out a million different scripts I could use to tell him how I feel. It felt so disrespectful to say something like that to someone who's taken. But at the same time… it's Carly. You wanna talk about disrespectful? Ahhh I felt awful. As crazy as she is, she's still his girlfriend and I had no right to go in and steal him away. It would have to be _his_ choice.

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A couple weeks later, Endymion had an afternoon garden party. We all attended, and I felt a bit more content. Perhaps that time away from Kunzite did me some good. I felt ready and like I would be fine emotionally if I did see him there. Serenity, Jupiter and Mercury all took off with their loved ones, leaving just me and Queen Serenity. Mars lingered for a while, not wanting to make her relationship obvious, but she slowly disappeared too. I didn't mind though; I loved spending time with the queen and it wasn't often that I got to do that.

"This is a wonderful gathering," she said. "This garden is beautiful. It reminds me of the garden parties my mother used to throw when I was young. We would have live harp players, strung paper lanterns, and the best homemade tea you'd ever taste."

"That sounds amazing. I wish I could've been there. She obviously taught you well, my queen. You are the most elegant and graceful person I know."

"You are too kind, sweetie."

"My queen," Endymion respectfully bowed and kissed her hand. "Good of you to come."

"Mother, you have to see the cherry blossom trees. They're gorgeous!"

The queen's eager daughter stole her away to marvel at the earthly foliage. And so I was left alone. And naturally, that made me vulnerable.

I saw Carly with two female friends who looked equally snobby. When she saw me from a distance, she started whispering things to her friends. I found it genuinely hilarious how obvious she was and the lack of effort to hide it. They were by the punch table and I wanted a refill. I wasn't about to let their presence stop me.

I started pouring into my cup and ignored them, just being nonchalant. They just stood there and stared at me. It creeped me out a little. _Really, what are you guys trying to accomplish right now?_

Finally I turned to them and smiled, as to make them angrier. "Afternoon, ladies. Lovely weather we're having?"

"Was the last time you had an interesting thought when you considered flinging yourself off a building?"[1] Carly grumbled.

"Actually, I think the last interesting thought I had was what your face would look like if I just went up and glomped Kunzite, right now. Good guess, though."

"If you need love, get a hooker."[1] The three of them walked away and went over to where the generals were sitting. Carly eagerly put an arm around Kunzite and made sure I saw.

Endymion started giving a speech, so I went and took a seat with the guardians. He thanked everyone for coming and for their continued support of his kingdom, and began telling stories about fun times and adventures with different people. It was interesting, but I started to space out after some time. I would on and off look over at Kunzite and Carly. I couldn't help it. The more I did that, the more painful it became.

I thought I was fine. I thought I was ready, but I wasn't.

The speeches ended, the DJ started the music back up, and the party resumed.

I saw Kunzite and Carly standing by one of the food tables, and… I don't know what got into me, but it was something. Without thinking, I stormed over there and faced him.

"Venus? Is everything all right?"

"As a matter of fact, no. Everything's _not_ all right. _THIS_ isn't all right." I motioned towards Carly standing right there.

People went silent and watched the scene unfold.

"Maybe I don't have the brown hair you like, and maybe I don't have eyes like the sky. And I'm not sure if I'm the girl in your dreams. But I can show you what love means."

The silence dragged on. Carly gasped and kept her mouth wide open, looking back and forth between him and me. After a while she fixed her eyes on me and furiously whispered "You'll pay for this."

Kunzite just looked at me in silence, and once I came down from my high from the moment and realized what I had done, I took off and hid.

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I couldn't feel my legs. I ran and ran and ran, getting so far into the garden that I was sure I was lost, but I didn't care. I just needed to get away and disappear from existence.

I slid down and sat behind a tree. I wanted to cry, but I was too in shock and out of breath to. There was a small fountain nearby and I could hear the light water splashes. Other than that it was silent. And I wanted to keep it that way.

After about 20 minutes, I heard footsteps. Kunzite walked up to the tree. _Kill me now_ , I thought.

"You were right," he said after a moment.

I turned to face him.

"You were right. It's not all right, with her," he continued. "She wasn't always so bad. She used to be a sweet person. But she has a diagnosed mental illness and has refused to get help. It has only gotten worse with time."

"Kunzite, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make a scene and… humiliate you like that."

"Did you mean what you said? The second part, that is?"

I was quiet for a second. "Yes. I did. Every word."

"Okay. I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?"

"I need to take care of something. I'll be right back."

Without even standing up, I turned to watch him disappear into the distance, knowing what he was about to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Quotes from the classic Paris Geller.
> 
> The end of this chapter was inspired by the classic Rory and Jess scene from the "They Shoot Gilmores, Don't They?" episode. Yes, that show is integrated into this story a lot. I'm obsessed ok


	6. Everything You Do

"Hey, Princess!" I sat some bags down on the counter. "I brought you something."

"Ooooo!" she got excited. "When did you go home?"

"Just for a few hours today. I wanted to grab some stuff, and I found this and thought you might like it."

I handed her a shiny orange geode with a cute cartoon bunny sticking out of it. I had gotten it from a gift shop back home years ago. Serenity really loved bunnies so I thought she'd enjoy it.

"I love it!" she grasped it in her hands. "Aww, it's so cute! Thanks Venus!"

"Not a problem. Also feel free to go through this makeup bag. I had so much back home that I hardly even use anymore."

She set the gem down on the table and looked up at me. "I miss you. I feel like I never see you anymore."

"I know… I miss you too. We should plan a catch-up session sometime soon."

"Tonight?"

"Can't tonight. I have a date with Kunzite."

"You two are so cute. I can't even get upset that he's the reason I don't see you. It's so good to see you both making each other happy."

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to seem like I'm ditching you for him. What about tomorrow afternoon? We could make cookies and experiment with all this makeup, like the good old days."

"Sounds good! I can't wait to hear all about your relationship," she winked.

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Tomorrow afternoon came. Serenity and I were making cookie dough and relentlessly eating chocolate chips to "taste test."

"So how are things with Endymion?"

"Great as always. Between you and me, I think he's gonna propose sometime soon! He's been dropping hints and trying to keep it a secret. He doesn't realize I'm picking up on it and it's adorable. I love that man."

"Just make sure you act surprised as ever and make it convincing. Knowing him, he'll plan something extravagant for popping the question."

"Oh I know that. Also…" she started to speak in her "I need to ask something of you" voice.

"What?" I answered in my "all right, what do you want?" voice.

"Marriage is exciting, but the logistics will be a bit complicated for us. See, we obviously can't choose to live on either the moon or Earth full-time, since we're needed in both places. So we talked hypothetically and figured out a plan where we'd alternate places every week, ruling them both together. However… during the times we're on Earth, someone will need to fill my place. My mother takes care of mostly everything right now, so it won't be a hard job. But I figured since you're my head guardian and know what it's like to be in charge of your own kingdom at home…"

"You want me to fill your shoes every other week."

"…Yeah. Please?"

"Serenity…"

"Pretty please? I'll be your best friend!"

"I'm already your best friend."

"You'll be my super-mega-ultra best friend. Please Venus, I don't know how we would make marriage work otherwise. Endymion's going to ask the same thing of his men for when he's here."

I let out a sigh. This was only a tentative plan and it wouldn't be happening for a while. "Fine. I will _consider_ it. It all depends on where Kunzite and I are by then too."

She leapt up and hugged me. "Thank you! You won't regret it." She let go and went back to eating chocolate chips.

"So…" she began in that classic suggestive tone. "You and Kunzite?"

I smiled and looked down, as to avoid revealing my blush too much. "He's amazing. He just really gets me, ya know? He can be so sweet and gentle, and also really strong and bold. And not to mention, he has the ability to keep up with my sarcasm and puts up with my stupid little fits that I have every so often *cough* like the concert. I never thought I'd ever meet a man like that."

"Awww," she began so flail her hands a little. "That's the best! I am forever a cheerleader for this relationship. I can tell he loves you from the way he looks at you."

"I love him too." I looked up at the ceiling and chuckled a little. "It's so weird to say that. I've only ever used the word 'love' in the context of loving my family or loving you all here. I've never loved a man before Kunzite."

"Isn't it a magical feeling?"

"It… yeah, you could say that. I just… can't help it. Everything he does makes my heart happy."

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It had already been a long day, and it was only noon. Queen Serenity had opened up the palace to residents of the moon to come in and take a tour, and I was given the most responsibilities. I was a tour guide for a while, and then a greeter, and then a receptionist. Some of the people who came in were so… frustrating, to say the least. There were handfuls of angry women, claiming they thought it was a free event when in reality it was a fundraiser for a charity Endymion had told the queen about. There were little kids who were loud and obnoxious and kept making messes that I always had to go clean up, whether it was knocking stuff down or spilling their drinks all over the place. Not to mention, there were also a few creepy, middle-aged men who would relentlessly flirt with me in a demeaning way and made comments that I'd rather not repeat. Needless to say, I had just about enough of people for the day. But it was still early…

At noon we were able to take an hour break, which was much needed. I was gathering up the money and getting it all put away, which took some time after the others had left. In the silence I heard the voice of my favorite person from behind me.

"Long day?"

I turned around and instantly became happy to find Kunzite there. He was holding a small plastic box. "I figured you could use this right about now."

I opened the box and found it full of all my favorite sushi from my favorite restaurant on Earth. I set it down and excitedly jumped up and hugged him.

"You are the best!"

"Anything for my beautiful goddess." He leaned down and kissed me.

"How are you here right now? I thought Endymion had a meeting going on that you had to be there for?"

"I managed to get away early. I knew you were dreading this day, so I wanted to see you and do what I could to make it more bearable."

"What a gentleman," I winked as I took him by the arm. "Well, kind sir, shall we?"

We sat down and began eating the sushi. I devoured my portion, no longer concerned about being composed and graceful while eating in front of him. He looked at me so lovingly even in those moments, which I didn't understand, but I didn't fight it either. I loved that look.

I began telling him about all of the obnoxious people I had to deal with. "There were so many times I really wanted to throw my pen in their faces and just walk away and quit this job. They were really pissing me off, especially those men," I put the chopsticks down for a moment and looked into his loving eyes. "But at the same time, I felt kind of sad for them. Their view of the world and people, especially women, is so deluded. They could be great, decent people if they got over that. I felt like I should've said or done something, instead of just getting all angry and secretly wanting to punch and scream at them."

Kunzite took my hand into his. "Venus, there is no reason to feel as if you have failed. It is important to do and say what you can and not to waste opportunities to be a light to people, but don't get down on yourself if that doesn't happen. God knows the way into their hearts better than you or I, or anyone else ever could."

I looked up at him and tried to make a cute face. "You're good with words."

He leaned in to kiss my cheek. "You will be fine the rest of the day. You can do this. When it's all over, I will pick you up and take you somewhere special tonight. Just hold tight until then."

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Even though people were still people, the rest of the work day was a lot easier for me. Kunzite made me so happy that afternoon and I couldn't stop smiling at just the thought of him. I couldn't wait for the shift to be over.

He showed up right on the dot to pick me up and was waiting outside the palace for me. We teleported back to Earth and began walking to the special place he was talking about.

We passed through a park. "Ooo, a pretty park. Is this the special thing?"

"Not yet. We'll be there soon." He handed me a rose.

"Aw, it's beautiful! Is _this_ the special thing?"

He laughed. "Patience is a virtue, my love."

I decided to keep being ridiculous since it was amusing him. "Whoa, a rabbit! Is that the special thing?"

We walked past a rowdy skatepark. "Hey, skateboarders! Is _that_ the special thing?"

"Yes, that's it. You saw the skaters. Date's over," he joked.

I started to hear faint music that increased in volume the more we walked. Soon enough we came to a huge, gorgeous lake. Turns out the music was coming from a small outdoor concert on the other side of it, where an unfamiliar band was playing peaceful acoustic music. It soothed my mind.

I turned to him, now in a calmer state. "Kunzite, this is amazing."

The wind rustled his large cape as he turned and extended his hand to me. "May I have this dance?"

He held me close as we swayed along with the music and the light breeze. I closed my eyes and went into a trance.

_From the moment you looked at me, and ever since you called my name… you've been everything that I've seen. And now I'm caught up in this game._

"I've missed this," he said. I moved back a little to look up at him. "We haven't done this since the day we met."

"Yeah," I smiled. "And there's no creepy guy to rescue me from this time."

"I much prefer these circumstances," he smiled. The moonlight shone on his face as he leaned in to kiss me. My heart started beating faster. This was the most incredible night of my life. The music kept playing, making the moment more magical. I love him so much.

_Everything you do,_

_And everything you say,_

_Makes me wanna go ooooh-oh-oh-ohhh_

"Kunzite?"

He looked down at me.

"I uh…"

"Is everything all right?"

"I just want to thank you for tonight. In the least cheesy terms possible, I love you. No matter what happens."

"I feel the same way," he held me closer. "Every moment."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing in song lyrics can be awkward sometimes, JS


	7. Don't Mess With My Love

"Um, hi?" Mars opened the door to an unfamiliar face.

"Hello. I'm here to see Venus. Is she here?"

"Yeah, I think so. One sec."

Instead of going to fetch me, Mars decided to scream as to be heard throughout the entire palace.

" _VENUS! COME DOWN TO THE FOYER. SOME GIRL'S HERE TO SEE YOU."_

I was in my room and heard her loud and clear. She continued to yell my name the longer I took to get there, up to the point where I was borderline jogging down there.

"Luana?!"

"Hi!" she excitedly exclaimed as we ran up to embrace.

"Okay, so you obviously know who this is," Mars said.

"This is my good friend Luana from back home. We've known each other for years."

I turned back to her. "What are you doing here? I haven't seen you in ages!"

"Well, you know I've been a wedding planner for a long time now," she began. "And recently I planned a wedding for one of your kingdom's soldiers, and he and his wife were so pleased with the outcome, that they put in a good word with your parents for me at Magellan Castle. They contacted me and invited me to go in for an interview, and last night they gave me the news. I am now officially the kingdom's event planner!"

"Oh wow, that's fantastic! I'm so excited to have you working so close, and I'm sure my folks are happy to have you too. Hey, you'll get to experience part of what I do now."

"Yeah, I'm stoked! I just wanted to deliver the news to you in person."

"That's so great. We won't have to be so far away now whenever I'm at home."

There was another knock on the door.

"I'll let you two get that. I don't wanna intrude on your little jamboree here," Mars said as she walked away. Typical.

I opened the door and found my love standing there with a large rose, which he handed to me as we embraced.

"Hey you," I said. "Just decided to drop in?"

"I wanted to let you know that the prince is having a little gathering tonight. I know it's a bit last minute, but I would love to see you there."

"Okay, sure! Kunzite, this is my friend Luana from my hometown. She just showed up here and surprised me. Luana, this is my boyfriend Kunzite. He's from Earth."

"Nice to meet you, Kunzite. I don't think I've ever met anyone from Earth before."

"It's an honor to be the first. Pleasure to meet you." He bowed respectfully.

"Kunzite is the head general of Prince Endymion," I gloated.

"Speaking of which," he cut in. "I really must be getting back. But I will see you tonight, and your friend is welcome to attend as well." He kissed me on the cheek.

"Aww, you two are meant to be," Luana said.

Kunzite nodded and headed out.

"You're gonna love Endymion's palace," I said after closing the door. "It's like nothing else on Venus or even here."

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We walked through the palace to the teleportation portal.

"So, how are you and Ray?" I asked.

"Oh, that… it's over with him, as of last week," she said, trying not to look sad.

"Oh… I'm so sorry, Luana."

"It's okay, really. We were drifting for a while, and it wouldn't work out anyway. It's a good thing; it'll give me a chance to really figure out what I want."

"That's the spirit." I flipped the switch to turn on the portal. "We'll have fun tonight. It'll help get your mind off of it."

We landed on Earth and made our way to the front. I knocked and Nephrite answered the door.

"Venus, good of you to come!"

"Hi Nephrite. Good to see you again."

"Same. Who's your friend?"

"I'm Luana. Just visiting from Venus for a couple days."

"Well, it's a pleasure to have you. Please, come in."

We went into the main party room, which was surprisingly pretty packed for a last-minute event, but not too crazy.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to return to the kitchen to assist Jupiter with dinner," he said.

"Okay. See you around."

Upbeat music was playing and many people were dancing around. It was louder and much more mainstream than Endymion's usual choice in music. I caught sight of Kunzite on the other side of the room, so we made our way over there.

"Hey, pretty boy," I got on my toes to give him a quick kiss.

"I am glad you made it."

"This palace is amazing, Kunzite!" Luana said. "It must be such an honor to reside here."

"Wait until you see the gardens," I said.

I saw Jupiter bring out a large plate of cherry tarts, her specialty, to the appetizer table. "Oh my gosh, I need to get some of those," I said with wide eyes. "Hold on, I'll be back."

I made my way over there, and ran into Zoisite, who was also getting some before they were gone. I took the opportunity to casually get to know Mercury's paramour.

Meanwhile, Luana took the time to get acquainted with Kunzite.

"So what do you do around here?"

"My primary role is to protect my prince, ensuring his safety at all times. Three other generals here share that role with me. I am also the commanding officer of our military, in case our kingdom is ever threatened and needs to be defended."

"Sounds so noble. It's like you're literally Venus' knight in shining armor."

"She is also an admirable warrior for her princess."

"That she is. Hey, it looks like she's a little occupied talking to someone, and I'm really curious about those gardens. Could you show me?"

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Kunzite took Luana out back to the massive gardens for a miniature tour. They stopped at a large, gorgeous fountain.

"All of us generals helped to build this garden in some way," Kunzite said. "This was my main contribution."

"It's incredible." Luana gazed at it with amazement. "You're really talented."

"You're very kind."

Luana turned to him. The lights from the lampposts shone on his hair and his cape blew with the wind. She started thinking about her ex-boyfriend who also had long hair, and suddenly went into some sort of trance.

"We should probably get back inside," he said. "Venus will be looking for us."

"Or…" she said. "We could hang out here for a while."

He noticed the way she was looking at him and began to back up a little. "We really should get back. You are welcome to stay out here if you would like, but I'll be returning to Venus."

"No, don't leave me out here alone," she gave a seductive look and moved closer. "Please?"

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I finished up my conversation with Zoisite and went back over to where Kunzite and Luana were. I found Mars and Jadeite in their place.

"Hey, have you guys seen Kunzite anywhere?"

"I think he went out to the garden with some girl," Jadeite said.

"Oh right, we were about to go back there before I got distracted. Cool, thanks."

It would probably take forever to find them since the garden was so monstrous, so I tried to just listen for noise. The only sound I could hear was from a fountain, so I decided to head that way and start there. I walked through the intricate maze of tall hedges until finally I came to the fountain and found…

_LUANA AND KUNZITE KISSING?!_

"What the hell is going on here?!"

They stopped and backed away the moment they heard my voice.

"Venus, please, this wasn't me. It's not what you think," Kunzite pleaded.

I was paralyzed. I couldn't even bring myself to speak or react in any way. All I could manage was to turn around and run away.

Kunzite came after me. "Venus!"

Luana tried to follow, but he stopped her. "You go back inside this instant," he said firmly. "In fact, you can just teleport back home. You are no longer welcome here."

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I ran and hid behind a tree. The same tree I hid behind when I made a scene in front of Kunzite and Carly that one time. I was out of breath. Should I be crying right now? Screaming? Punching the air and throwing things? All I could do was catch my breath and try to take in what just happened. _Is this even real?_

"Venus," Kunzite found me. "Please hear me out."

"I don't know if I want to hear anything from you right now," I said. "And frankly, I'm not sure if I want to hear anything from you _ever_ again."

"She kissed _me._ She asked to see the gardens since you were busy talking with Zoisite, and after I insisted multiple times that we go back inside, she came around and stopped in front of me and kissed me. And that's when you showed up."

I was silent and still not looking at him.

"Venus, I know she's your friend, but you _must_ believe me. You trust me, don't you?"

I sighed. "Yes. I do."

He walked over and took my hand, looking lovingly into my eyes like he always did. "Then will you please take my word? I would never do anything to hurt you."

I looked into his eyes for several moments. "Of course I will. I know you'd never do anything like that. I just… can't believe she would…"

"I understand."

He held me for a long while out there. I didn't return to the party that night.

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I arrived back at the teleport chamber on the moon. The palace was quiet since everyone was still at the party. I went down to the bar to pour a glass of wine.

As I walked out into the living room, I found Luana on the couch. The moment she saw me she jumped up and pleaded.

"Venus, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for that to happen. It just… happened."

I set the glass down and tried to stay calm.

"What do you mean it _just happened_?"

"We were just looking at the garden, and talking, and… he was there, and, well, I just had a moment."

"You just _had a moment_?! No one just HAS MOMENTS like that where they kiss their friend's boyfriend on 'accident'!" I was furious.

"I just couldn't help it. I was upset and vulnerable because of Ray, and I haven't been alone in a long time, and… well, I couldn't help it. He's so handsome. I couldn't control myself."

"Are you kidding me?!"

"Look, I said I'm sorry, so I think I should go now."

"Yeah, you should," I said through my boiling anger. "I thought you were a friend of mine, but I was wrong. You tried to fit into the arms where I belong. You moved right in behind my back. Everyone knows friends don't do that!"

"Hey, I slipped up, okay? Yes, I find him attractive, and if he weren't taken I'd probably do it again, but clearly he's not interested in me. You don't have to worry about it."

"My gosh Luana, I don't believe what I'm hearing. I don't even know who you are anymore. He is everything to me, and you know we're meant to be. You said you were happy for us! How could you go and do this?"

"I'm just gonna go home, okay?" she turned around and went for the door.

"Fine. Also Luana, I don't want you anywhere near my palace. You're fired."


	8. Smiling Face

The skies were dark with clouds. I went to a downtown area on Earth with a shopping center to pick up some supplies that the queen requested. Coming back to the palace, sitting on the bus and looking through the window… I was happy. I closed my eyes and thought of his smiling face… that sweet smile reserved only for me. I couldn't wait to see him.

I got off at the stop closest to Endymion's palace and walked about a mile. Halfway there, it started to pour, as the dark skies suggested it would. I moved as quickly as I could until I got there, and then I stopped. The gardens were a different kind of beautiful in this weather. It was a summer afternoon, so I wasn't even cold. Standing in the rain, I thought of Kunzite and how I would love it if he was out here with me now, with that smiling face.

I opened the gate and made my way through the gardens towards the teleport chamber on the side. As I walked past the back of the building, I found Kunzite sitting out on the shaded porch. I ran up as soon as I caught sight of him, large bags in both hands.

"Venus? I didn't know you were coming today? Here, let me help you." He took the bags and set them down under the shaded roof. "You're soaked. Did you walk all the way here?"

"It was no big deal. It was actually kinda nice."

"I suppose the rain is a rare sight for you, as you don't get this kind of weather on the moon."

"True story. Earth has lots of qualities that the moon doesn't."

For some reason, that reminded of my conversation with Serenity over the tentative engagement coming up and the arrangements that would have to be made. Constant commuting from Earth and the moon… and that got me thinking… what about us? If we got married in the future… would we have to do the same thing? And what about my home planet?

"Hey Kunzite, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Well… this is completely hypothetical and I'm not trying to pressure you or anything, but I'm just curious… if we decided to get married in the future, would you… well, how would it work logistically? Would you be willing to commute with me between here, the moon and Venus? Or maybe even just staying on the moon if needed?" I stopped for a moment and tried to organize my thoughts. "I guess what I'm trying to say is… serving your prince would be different if we were married. Would you be okay with that and willing to embrace the changes?"

He was quiet for a moment, deep in thought. I wondered if he had ever even considered all of that before.

"We don't need to worry about that now," he wrapped his arms around me. "We can figure all of that out when the time comes."

"Yes, _but…_ " I backed up a little to see his face. "When the time does come, how would we work it out? Would it work out at all, logistically? I mean, we both have kingdoms to serve and protect, and I have more than one… which means I'll probably have to spend most of my time away from Earth, and I wouldn't want to be away from you all the time. I guess my main question is… do you love me enough to make that kind of sacrifice?"

"You know I love you. We don't need to discuss this right now. I don't want this relationship to just be based on logistics. Come, let's get you inside and warmed up."

"Actually," I cut in. "It's really nice and warm out, even in the rain. Can we stay out here? We can be that couple being all intimate in the rain like in the movies. Please?" I made puppy dog eyes.

"Venus…"

"Come on, you're not afraid of a little water, are you?"

He sighed in an "I give in" sort of fashion. "All right. As you wish, Princess."

I took his hand and we speedily walked down the steps and into the depths of the forest-like garden. We were walking down a random path when I stopped.

"Wait. Let's go that way. I've never been over there before." I pointed to the left where a thin walkway led to somewhere unknown.

"This path leads to a giant maze. Literally. You could actually get lost in there."

"Challenge accepted!"

I took off running, leaving him trailing behind, and went random directions through the huge hedge labyrinth, not really paying attention to where I was going. I was on an adrenaline rush.

"Venus?" I heard him call out.

"You'll have to find me!" I teased.

We ran around for ages, basically playing a strange combination of tag and hide-and-seek. After so long I had no idea where I was or how to get out, and got a little worried. I decided to surrender.

"Okay, for real, Kunzite, where are you? I'm super lost."

"I told you that you would get lost," he shouted back.

"Ugh, come on, man," I laughed. "You were right. Congratulations. I'd give you a trophy but I would need to find you first."

"It's your turn to find me now," he teased.

"You're relentless, you know that?" I teased back.

I ran around for ages more, still without a trace of him. After a while he called out, "I'm still waiting for that trophy."

"I still know that I'm never gonna find you," I called back. I heard some rustling behind me, so I stood there for a moment to listen.

"But I do believe… that you're standing right behind-" I quickly spun around and pointed where the sound was coming from. But nothing was there. _DANG IT. I'll never win at this game._

When I turned back around, I jumped in shock at the sight of him standing right there.

"I win," he teased. He walked up and kissed me, both of us soaking wet from the rain by now.

"Mazes have never been my specialty. I'll beat you next time."

"Challenge accepted." He looked at me with that smiling face that I love so much and pulled me into a hug. I wrapped my arms around him and just wondered… _Will I ever get the answer to my question? Maybe I should just let it go for now. Life will go on. We'll address it at the right time._


	9. Why

Kunzite would be training the military today, so I spent the day on the moon, hanging out with the other guardians and doing my usual kingdom patrol. At the end of my shift I watched the sun go down like I always did. I wondered if he was watching it too?

A couple of days passed and I hadn't heard from him. We didn't really plan the next time we'd meet up, but I knew he was busy. Endymion has been working those four generals like crazy lately and really focusing on strengthening their military. I don't know why, but it's been happening. I figured I'd give it a couple more days or so and then go down and see him if I still didn't hear anything.

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"Gentlemen!" Endymion assembled his four generals. "There is someone I'd like you to meet. This is Beryl. She will also be a commanding officer for our troops along with you four."

A sweet looking woman with red hair stepped forward, standing up straight and dressed in uniform. "Thank you, kind Prince," she said in a flirty tone of voice before facing us. "It is an honor to be working with you all."

"I am Kunzite, the lead commanding officer," he stepped forward and respectfully bowed. "You will be working mostly with me."

"With all due respect, Your Majesty," Jadeite cut in, "why do we need another commanding officer? The four of us are doing just fine, and it's not like we're going to war or anything right now."

"Lately I've been sensing a heavy darkness on this planet," Endymion said in a firm tone, though you could tell he was worried. "Something tells me that we might be going to war soon, for some reason that's unknown to me right now. I just want us to be prepared in advance for the worst. Beryl here is a veteran of the army, and though she is young, she knows what she's doing. We could really use her."

"We will do as you wish, Your Majesty," Kunzite bowed. "Come with me, Beryl. We have work to do."

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My designated waiting time had passed. It was time to go down to visit Kunzite and see how he was doing with all that work he was given. Gosh I missed him.

I stepped into the portal and teleported over, and found troops marching and training all over the place. I saw Jadeite, Zoisite and Nephrite all training different groups, as well as some woman I'd never seen before. I assumed Kunzite was either on some kind of break or given a different task for the day. I went out to the garden to search around.

I didn't find him out there, but I did find Endymion kneeling over by the fountain, praying. I waited for a bit as to not interrupt. When he finished and opened his eyes, he came over to greet me.

"Good afternoon, Venus. Are you looking for Kunzite?"

"Yeah, do you know where he is?"

"He should be in the workout room today. We've all been trying to build our strength."

"Okay, thanks." I turned around and began walking towards the castle, before pausing for a second and turning back. "Endymion? Are you all right? You seem stressed."

"I've been better, but I'm fine. Thank you for your concern though. I've just had… bad vibes lately, and a strong feeling that our kingdom will be threatened. I want to make sure we're ready for anything."

"Is that why you've been having your generals work so much?"

"Precisely. We've never had any real danger around here, but I just want to be safe."

"Understandable. Well, you have some good people on your side. I'm sure you'll be fine no matter what."

I went inside and looked for the workout room. I'd never seen it before and had no idea where it was, so I was browsing for a while. Finally I entered a hall where the sound of weight lifting could be faintly heard. I slowly pushed the door open and peeked my head in, and found Kunzite in there alone, lifting the largest barbell I'd ever seen and completely in the zone. I slowly walked over to his side.

"Kunzite?"

He saw me and let out a typical weight lifting grunt as he finished his set and put it back on the rack.

"I didn't know you were coming today."

"I know. I hadn't heard from you, so I thought I'd come down and see if we could plan something?"

"Venus, I've been incredibly busy. We all are. The prince is expecting _war_. Going on dates is not a priority right now."

"I know, I didn't mean-" I cut myself off. Something was wrong and it was obvious. I know he was stressed out and I understood that, but… he wouldn't even look at me. He seemed angry with me.

"Kunzite, I understand your circumstances and I don't mean to intrude, but I miss you and don't want to have to go weeks at a time without seeing you. Maybe I can help?"

"No. This matter concerns our kingdom, not yours." He finally looked me in the eye, but that warm, loving look he always had before was completely gone. "I'm sorry that you travelled all the way here for nothing, but I think you should go."

I didn't even know what to say. Why was he being like this? I started to get irritated.

"Um… okay? I'll go then." He got back on the bench and started lifting again. I stood at the doorway watching him, shook my head and walked out.

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The ball was in his court. I wouldn't be going down to Earth again until he came here first. Wouldn't want to be a burden.

I was lying in bed staring at the ceiling, when suddenly Serenity burst into my room. "Venus! We need to go to Earth, now!"

 _Of course we do_.

I slowly sat up, still spacey. "Why is that, Princess?"

"Endymion thinks a war is going to break out! He's trying to train his army. I think we should go and help!"

"I already tried that, Princess. Kunzite said they don't want any help."

"Well, Endymion might feel differently. We should at least try. Please come with me. Don't you wanna see Kunzite?"

_No._

"Ugh, fine. I'll do it for you. But if he says they don't want help, you need to respect that. Understand?"

"Yeah yeah, now come on, let's go!"

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We arrived and ran up the stairs to Endymion's throne. I was just trying to keep up with Serenity, who was running like the building was on fire.

She swung open the door and ran up to hug her prince.

"Oh, Endy, it's so terrible what's been happening! We're here to help you in any way you can."

I calmly raised a hand to wave at him. "Please excuse her pushiness, prince. She's very concerned about a war that hasn't even broken out."

He smiled back at me. "No worries. I'm glad you girls are here. I actually could really use your help."

_Oh? So he could, huh?_

"If you could alert everyone on the moon, and be prepared to come down and assist us in battle if need be, that would really ease some of our stress, knowing we'll have extra allies. And Venus? If you and the other guardians could provide as much support to the generals as possible, I think they would appreciate that. Surely they miss you all, being so tied up here lately."

"Oh…" I faked a smile. "Will do, prince! I will absolutely spread the word on the moon."

"Perfect, thank you so much. This means a lot. You know, I think Kunzite is out front right now, if you wanted to go down and see him for a bit?"

"Oh, okay… I'll do that." I felt uneasy about it, worried he'd act the same way as last time, but it was the prince's orders, so… I went down to find him.

I paced myself slowly, stalling as much as I possibly could. When I finally reached the bottom floor, I went to the front and opened the door, and could see Kunzite and Zoisite working with a group of soldiers.

_Well this is going to be awkward…_

"Get down and give me 100 more!"

Those two paced back and forth watching as the soldiers relentlessly did their push-ups. I figured now was as good of a time as any to interrupt if I had to do it. I slowly walked up.

"K-Kunzite?"

He turned his stern face to me.

"The uh…" I began choking on my own words. Why was I so intimidated? I started to feel the dark vibes too… perhaps the ones Endymion was talking about. "The Prince has requested that I come see you, and offer any support that I can…"

"Venus, can't you see I'm in the middle of training? You couldn't have picked a worse time."

He turned to Zoisite. "Keep going. We won't be distracted from our tasks."

They continued their training. Kunzite hardly looked at me. He kept talking to Zoisite and acted like I wasn't there. It almost seemed as if he was afraid to look in my eyes.

After what I felt was a sufficient amount of awkward moments, I finally decided to turn around and go back home.

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I opened my journal and began to vomit all of my thoughts; all the things I wanted to say to him. Since I obviously couldn't talk to him personally, I figured at least writing them down might help somehow.

_It all started after the day I asked him that question, of whether or not he loved me enough to compromise serving his kingdom a little in the hypothetical future. Is that what he's mad about? I don't know, it seems like more than that..._

_Well it don't make sense. It's just craziness. Ohhh, I need to know where we're at._

_Wondering why you're acting this way_

_Wondering why you can't find any words to say_

_Maybe someone told you a lie_

_Or maybe you're just being shy_

_Keep wondering why_


	10. Give a Little Love

The training madness on Earth had settled down a bit. They were still training, no doubt, but not as intensively as before. Endymion began to calm down a little from the war paranoia, either because the dark vibes had begun to fade, or because he was getting used to them.

It had been a while since he had a party or gathering of some sort, and wanted to reward the troops for all of their hard work in training, so he decided to have an honorary banquet for them. He invited the moon kingdom since we were now his allies, and naturally we all attended. I decided to try and avoid Kunzite and let him seek me out if he really wanted to. I was sick of being the one chasing after him, and of the way he was treating me.

It was a more formal social, with a bunch of well-dressed people moving around the room and mingling; most people I didn't know, as usual. I stayed close to the other guardians, who were actually in the same boat as me. Apparently, their men had been acting hostile towards them as well. At least I knew I wasn't alone. It all seemed so strange.

After a while, Endymion stepped onto the stage and called the attention of the party.

"Thank you all for coming tonight, and especially for all of your hard work. Your dedication to this kingdom is greatly appreciated and will never be forgotten. I want to thank my commanding officers, Kunzite, Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite and Beryl, for giving so much of themselves to train our soldiers and protect this kingdom."

_Beryl? Who's that?_

I looked over to the left and saw Kunzite and the others standing together in the distance. He didn't see me, but I kept looking. He still looked frustrated and uneasy. I saw a pretty redhead standing with them, and assumed that was Beryl.

Endymion kept going with his speech, when suddenly he paused for a second to take a deep breath.

"I also want to thank my beautiful girlfriend, Princess Serenity from the moon, for never failing to be there for me and supporting me at all times, no matter what the circumstances. She rushed here to offer help in whatever way she could before I even asked her. She's the sweetest person I know. Serenity… can you come up here?"

Serenity was a little caught off guard at this request, and blushed as she stepped onto the stage.

"We have been together for a year now, and it has been the most wonderful year of my life," he continued. "I want all of the years to come to be as amazing as this one has been. So…" he got on one knee and pulled out a box, opening it to reveal a gorgeous, shimmering diamond ring. "Princess Serenity, will you marry me?"

She screamed and jumped up and down in excitement. "Yes! Yes yes yes! Of course I will!" He stood up and everyone applauded at their kiss.

I clapped in the background, standing against a wall. As happy as I was for them, I couldn't help but feel sorry for myself. Selfish, I know, and I was ashamed for feeling that way. I looked over at Kunzite, still standing there looking the same way. I doubted he would talk to me that night.

_You think you're really serious, clever and mysterious… talking like you're dangerous, talking like a fool._

I'd never been so genuinely angry with him. There Endymion and Serenity were, engaged and happy as ever, going into their future together. That was supposed to be _us_ someday! We were happy. We were on the right track, it seemed like. We were heading towards a future together. Now he acts like he doesn't even want me.

I looked away and turned back to the girls. Jupiter was just as frustrated as I was.

"Look at him over there, pretending not to notice me, acting like I don't exist. The nerve of that guy! Who does he think he is?"

"It's okay, calm down, Jupiter," Mercury chimed in. "You're not alone in this. We're all experiencing the same thing from them. Maybe together we can figure out what's going on."

"At least you never made your relationship public," she sneered. "No one will give you a hard time about it."

I turned to Mars, who was leaning against the wall with crossed arms.

"Hey. You're quiet tonight."

"So?"

"So, you're usually the most outspoken of all of us."

"Well, I'm not feeling chatty tonight, okay? Is that such a problem? I didn't realize I was the designated spokesperson of the group." She rolled her eyes and leaned further into the wall.

I walked up and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey. It's okay to be mad at Jadeite. You have the right to be."

She sighed and looked sorrowful. I felt bad for her. She hated showing emotions other than anger, but I could tell she was hurting.

Despite not wanting to become dependent on alcohol whenever I was stressed, I went over to the wine table to pour a glass. I would only allow myself to have one.

I started sipping it slowly, still standing over there. I could see Kunzite walking away from his group and coming towards me out of the corner of my eye, but I pretended not to notice.

"Venus," he said sternly.

"Can I help you?" I continued looking the direction I was facing, not turning towards him, continuing to sip the wine.

"Things have been very busy around here. If you want to come during a time that's not busy, Sunday nights are best."

I finally turned to him with a frustrated look. "Is that _all_ you have to say to me?"

His face didn't change. "Tell Serenity congratulations for me. We're all very happy for them."

He turned and went back over to his group. I stood there with my mouth still gaped open a little, so dumbfounded by what just happened. Was that it? Seriously?

I chugged the rest of my wine.

I continued watching him walk away, just desperately hoping that things would change soon; go back to normal.

_Please don't be like this, Kunzite. You can find it in your heart…give a little love; have a little faith in the two of us. 'Cos all I can do is watch and wonder where the man I know has gone._

That woman Beryl gave me a look, just for a split second… a look that was similar to how Carly would look at me, except… a lot more menacing. I didn't think that was possible. What was her problem?


	11. Our Song

Queen Serenity hired a troubadour to play soothing acoustic music around the palace. Sometimes he'd sing, and sometimes he would just play. Either way, it was peaceful and nice to listen to, which is what she was going for in hiring him.

I was lying in my bed, all alone. It was a Saturday night, which meant one more day before Kunzite was "free." I didn't know if I was going to go or not. I didn't want to seem like I was super available and would just fall to his feet whenever it was convenient for him _._ But at the same time, maybe this would be an opportunity to talk and try to make things okay again?

I decided to sleep on it.

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Sunday night came. And I decided to go. If things went badly, I would be affirmed if I decided to end it. I thought about dolling myself up and looking all nice… but then figured, why bother?

Reluctantly stepping into the portal, I took a deep breath as I was sent to Earth. Knocking on the front door, a servant answered and let me in, directing me to the main living room where Kunzite was.

He was on the couch with the TV on, about to start a movie. When he saw me, he got up to greet me.

"You made it."

"Um… yeah," I said as I slowly moved forward. "I didn't get scheduled for a patrol tonight, so I figured I'd drop by. Not sure how long I'll stay though."

"You can leave whenever you wish. I was just about to start a film, if you'd like to join."

"Sounds good."

I awkwardly took a seat beside him, not too close or too far away. The servant shut off the light so it was totally dark in there other than the TV. We watched _Good Will Hunting,_ which was a popular favorite among the generals and Endymion.

It was a great movie, but the whole time I felt… really uncomfortable. Kunzite wasn't being rude or anything, which was nice, but he definitely wasn't loving either. He treated me like an ordinary acquaintance who he was obligated to be polite to. I was super confused.

The movie ended and I just really wanted to be home, to process things.

"Well, thanks for having me. I should get back. Early morning tomorrow."

"Very well. Travel safely."

The whole walk over to the portal, I couldn't stop asking myself… _what the hell was that?_

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I slept in super late; much later than usual. I remembered the previous night… and was no less confused even after processing. _What am I supposed to do with this? I don't even know how to react._

I went down to the kitchen, where the other guardians were having breakfast, still feeling down. We hadn't seen much of Serenity lately, since she and Endymion were constantly together, planning their wedding.

"Morning," I said, unenergetically, as I sat down and poured some juice.

"Hey. Where were you last night?" Jupiter asked.

"I uh… went to see Kunzite."

"Did you?" they all became intrigued. "How did it go? What happened?"

"Well… I… don't really know, actually. He was very formal and polite, but acted more like a friendly stranger than a lover. We didn't really talk. He just wanted to watch a movie, and that was it. We were silent the whole time. I couldn't take the awkward anymore and just came back after."

"Ugh. Jerk," she murmured as she sipped her coffee.

"You know what? We're too good for them!" Mars chimed in.

"You're right, Mars. Being with Nephrite used to be like heaven, but those days are over. Freaking 'heavenly kings,' yeah right. I don't care anymore!" Jupiter lied.

I sighed. "I guess nobody gets too much heaven no more."

I stunned myself a little. Something about that statement shook my heart.

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I grabbed my journal from my room and went outside. I could hear the troubadour playing music, not singing this time. I sat down and started writing. Then the thought crossed my mind to write a song. Most musicians write about their relationships and struggles, right?

I listened to the music and allowed it to inspire me as I got in the zone and went along with the slow rhythm.

_Something's going on, what is wrong?_

_I want you to be here, why won't you come…_

_And spend some time with me? Can't you see…_

_Have we come undone?_

_Is this the end of our song?_

_Nobody gets too much heaven no more_

_It's much harder to come by_

_I'm waiting in line_

_Nobody gets too much love anymore_

_It's as high as a mountain_

_And harder to climb_

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Having the troubadour around made me feel like I was in a movie or TV show, having a soundtrack for my life. It was a really cool feeling, actually. The next night, I stayed up late and sat on the palace's front steps, staring at the Earth.

I don't want to end it… but I can't go on like this. I deserve better.


	12. Mirror Mirror

Writing that song that no one would ever see made me feel a little better. However, it also got me thinking and dwelling on the situation, a lot. With each passing day, each passing hour… I got angrier and bitterer. I finally decided to write my feelings down again, in the form of a letter, as if I actually planned to send it.

_Kunzite,_

_It's me. This won't be happening anymore. You hear me? I'm done being that girl who sits around endlessly, hoping you decide to make time to come and see me. I'm done biting my tongue every time you say something nasty to me, and I'm done putting up with you treating me like I'm nothing to you. What even happened to you, anyway? One day you're loving and kind, and the next you're a complete jerk who I want to punch in the face, turn around, walk away and never return to. We won't be doing this anymore. Tentative Sunday nights don't cut it anymore. You will treat me like a princess, because guess what? I AM a princess! If that's something you don't want to do, then fine. You can go find someone else who doesn't mind lying in bed and staring at her ceiling all day hoping you'll show up, but it won't be me!_

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Night fell. Sitting in my room, I was so mad that not even the troubadour's music outside my window could cool me down.

Mercury knocked on my door, snapping me out of my angry trance.

"Yeah, what?"

"It's Kunzite… he's here to see you."

This shocked me. "Really? Are you sure?"

"That's what he said. He's waiting in the foyer."

"All right. I'll be down in a minute."

I crumbled up the letter and threw it away. It was my way to vent; I didn't want him to actually ever see it.

Making my way down the stairs, I entered the foyer, which was much quieter without the sound of the troubadour playing. It was just me and Kunzite in there.

"I didn't know you were coming today," I repeated that familiar line that he said so often to me.

"I needed to see you."

"What for?"

He looked away and was dead silent for several long moments. The silence drove me crazy.

"Okay, what?" I finally blurted out. "You travelled all the way here. You wanted to see me. What do you have to say to me?"

After another pause he finally said, "I just needed to see you one more time."

"One more time before what?"

Silence.

"Answer me!"

"I should go."

I was fuming and finally went off. "No! No more of this non-communicative, hostile, shallow, unloving bullcrap! I've kept quiet and gone along with your stupid game, but I'm not doing this anymore! You're gonna tell me what the HELL your problem is, why you've been acting this way, and what in the world I did to make you so upset with me!"

This infuriated him. I'd never seen him look at me that way before.

"Can you _possibly_ be any more selfish?! Do you have the slightest clue what we have been through the past couple months? You've never trained an army for war. You have NO idea what it's like. Our prince is completely convinced that our kingdom will be attacked. Do you know what that means? Many of us will likely die. We could _all_ die. Have you even _thought_ about the kind of pressure that puts on us?!"

He had a point. I hadn't really thought about it that much. But I was too angry in the moment to consider that. I kept pushing my case.

"I don't care if it's the war of the worlds! You don't treat your girlfriend like trash! Do you have any idea how you've made me feel? I refuse to go on being treated this way!"

"Then don't."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm done here, Venus. You're on your own. I have a kingdom to protect."

He turned away and slammed the door behind him.

I have to say… as much as I anticipated this breakup… the reality of it hit me harder than I could've ever imagined. When I finally broke out of my paralysis of just standing there staring at the door, I started slowly making my way back to my room, letting everything sink in.

The troubadour moved inside and was now quietly playing the piano. My body was shaking and a million thoughts were running through my head. As right as I felt in the moment while we were fighting… with each passing second thereafter, I realized how wrong I was. He made a valid point that I chose to ignore. If only I had listened… understood where he was coming from… apologized…

Why don't I think before I speak? I should have listened to that voice inside me. _Why did I let you walk away? When all I had to do was say I'm sorry. I let my pride get in the way, and in the heat of the moment I was to blame…_

I walked past one of the reading rooms, where the vase in the middle of the coffee table contained all the roses he had ever given me. Flashbacks ran through my head. Memories of the good times. Oh, how I missed those times…

I finally got to my room, saying to myself over and over, "I must be stupid, must be crazy, must be out of my mind, to say the kind of things I said tonight."

I could still hear the faint piano playing from my room even with the door closed. I stopped in front of the long mirror on my wall, turned and looked into it. Stared at the shame in my face. Wished that I was looking at two of us.

Listening to the music, I began to cry out, "Mirror mirror hanging on the wall, you don't have to tell me who's the biggest fool of all…"

I put my hands on the mirror and suddenly broke down sobbing. "Mirror mirror I wish you could lie to me, and bring my lover back, bring my lover back… to me."

I pounded the mirror with my fist and fell to the ground, still sitting in front of it, now with a soaking wet face and makeup running down. I continued to whisper, over and over… " _Mirror mirror lie to me… show me what I wanna see… mirror mirror lie to me…_ "


	13. The Day You Went Away

_Rewind to previous chapter… *cues sound effect*_

"Come with me, Beryl. We have work to do."

"As you wish, Kunzite."

He gave her the rundown of their structure and how they do their training. Beryl was to be a commander of equal status to Kunzite, according to Endymion. They trained their soldiers for 10 straight hours before calling it a day.

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It is said that the most destructive lies often start out as the most beautiful ones. That seemingly good things that satisfy your immediate desires will be the things that corrupt you. That false prophets, false teachers and other deceivers alike often don't appear as such when they come, but rather appear to be beautiful, honest and trustworthy. Those people will gain the trust of others and lead them to destruction. This would soon become the fate of the Earth, the moon, and all of the star-crossed lovers.

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"I'd say that was a pretty successful day," Beryl said as they chugged their water down in the break room.

"It certainly was. I was very impressed with your leadership skills."

"Ten years of experience will do that for a person."

"I can attest."

"So, same drill tomorrow?"

"Perhaps. I may leave you in charge for a while. I need to spend some time with my girlfriend. We have not been able to see her much since this all started."

"What? You can't do that!"

"And why is that?"

"We need you here! This is urgent business. You can't let your girlfriend be a distraction."

"With all due respect, Beryl, it is not your place to tell me what I can and cannot do."

She sighed condescendingly and set the water jug down. "Look… you respect me, right? You said it yourself. So listen to what I'm about to say: I think that girl is just using you."

This infuriated him. "You have some nerve! You dare speak such things about someone you have never even met?!"

"Oh, I know who she is. Venus, right? I was there when she exploded in front of you and Carly at the prince's garden party. I saw the whole thing go down. And I also saw the little catfights between those two girls before you started dating her."

"Your point?"

"Don't you see? Venus is only dating you to piss off Carly and to get revenge on her for the way she treated her."

"You're out of your mind. I will hear no more of this."

He began walking towards the door but she kept talking.

"Think about it. Venus basically stole you away from her, causing that scene and making you feel like you had to break up with Carly, or at least had an excuse to. She never said anything romantic like that to you before she met her, and she could've done it more privately, instead of _right in front of your girlfriend._ She knew that would piss her off like nothing else would. She's using you. That's the only reason she's with you."

"You're simply looking for excuses for me to stay here instead of spending time with her. It won't work. Now if you'll kindly excuse me, I'm going to bed. You will be out front at 8 a.m. sharp tomorrow. That is an order.

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As the four generals slept that night, Beryl snuck into their rooms and began influencing their dreams. She spoke lies into them. _War will break out any moment. There's no stopping it. You're not ready. You need to be ready! This kingdom will be attacked at any moment! Your people could die! Train your army for battle!_

Beryl was out training the soldiers at 8 a.m. as instructed. They seemed to take a liking to her. Kunzite walked up beside her, looking restless.

"Oh? Decided to show up today?" she said in a snarky tone.

He said nothing to her. "Soldiers! Three laps around the block! You have 20 minutes."

The soldiers began sprinting away to complete their laps on time. Beryl turned to him with a satisfied look on her face. "What changed your mind?"

"It is _not_ anything you said last night. I know that the prince is deeply concerned that war will break out, and I trust his instincts. I need to be here. I'm doing this for _him,_ not you."

_Little did he know that the reason Endymion had that paranoia in the first place was because Beryl was speaking the same lies into his dreams…_

And she did it again the next night. And the next. And all the nights to follow. The same lies, over and over again. And soon enough, she started speaking lies to all the generals about their loved ones. And those lies were so loud that they actually started to believe them. Dreams and reality all blended together. When they finally saw their lovers in person later on, they were automatically filled with anger and distrust. And it continued to grow, as she would not stop for a single night.

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I woke up to the sound of some rather upbeat music from outside. Gosh I loved that troubadour. I stretched and continued to lie there, staring at the ceiling like I always did.

It had been a month since the breakup, but still not a single day went by without me thinking about him. I didn't even feel like myself these days. I lie in bed this morning and wonder… could it be, when I was dreaming about him, he was dreaming of me?

Call me crazy. Call me blind. To still be suffering is stupid after all of this time…

I finally got myself up and took a walk outside, enjoying the music. After so many days and attempts of trying to shake off the thoughts of him, I eventually gave up. I figured it would happen with time, but apparently I just needed a lot of time to wallow and mourn.

I remembered the date and time. September 22nd. 9:25 on Sunday night. He was standing in the doorway, after making his case. No longer shouting at each other; there weren't tears on our faces.

And we were letting go of something special (or what was once special). Something we'll never have again. I know… I guess I really, really know…

"Well hey," I spoke aloud as I walked along through the flower fields. "So much I need to say. Been lonely since the day you went away. So sad but true… for me there's only you." I fell to my knees and picked a flower from the ground that was the same color as the roses he would give me. My eyes started to well up. "Been crying since the day… the day you went away…"

_Why do we never know what we've got 'til it's gone?_

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Kunzite was alone in the workout room when Beryl came in.

"I'd say the troops are ready for battle. We've done well with them."

"Indeed." He looked sorrowful.

"Aww, no need to be so down, Kunzite. Just because Venus didn't love you, doesn't mean that someone else won't."

"I'd rather not discuss this right now."

"No problem. Subject dropped."

He went over to put the weights away.

"Kunzite, you trust me, don't you? I mean, I did turn out to be right about those moon guardians and how they're using you all, right?"

"I suppose."

"And you trust me as a commanding officer, correct?"

"I can't deny that you've proven yourself worthy."

"Excellent. Then I have a question."

"Ask away."

"Will you devote your loyalty to me, as we go into this upcoming battle?"

He put the weights down and turned around. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, since you trust me and have found me to be a worthy leader, will you commit to being loyal to me and the direction I choose to go? Will you let me take the lead in this battle? I have a strong feeling about what's coming and how to handle it."

"We are of equal status. You are not above me."

"I know that, but I'm just asking for this battle. I promise I know what I'm doing. Please, all you have to do is say yes."

He sighed. She wouldn't drop this until he agreed and he didn't feel like dealing with her. "Okay, fine. Yes."

"Wonderful, now, I just need you to say, 'Beryl, I commit my loyalty to you.' Just to make it official and whatnot."

 _This is ridiculous_ , he thought.

"If I say that, can this conversation be over?"

"Sure thing."

"Beryl, _I commit my loyalty to you_."

Suddenly, the room went dark and Beryl started to glow in red as she let out an evil, sinister laugh and began to reveal her true form. Her eyes turned red and piercing, her skin was pale, and she had vampire-like teeth and long red fingernails. She was the creepiest person he'd ever seen. He was almost trembling in fear, especially since he had no weapons on hand at that moment.

"Thank you for saying the magic words, Kunzite. Welcome to the Negaverse. We've been waiting for you."

She sent an evil spirit out that possessed him, taking control of his body and mind.

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"Listen up!" Beryl shouted to the entire military assembled in front of the palace. "The time of war has come… and the rebels are on the moon! The moon kingdom is the threat that we've been sensing! We need to all teleport there and attack their kingdom before they attack ours!"

"Are you sure about this?" one of the soldiers asked. "From what I know, the moon and Earth are on good terms."

Beryl sneered at him. "You dare question me?! Who is your commanding officer here? Whose authority have you been bowing to all this time? Who has trained you to get you to where you're at? The moon is full of liars and deceivers! They want you to think you're on good terms so that you let your guard down and won't suspect them!"

The four generals stood by her side, all under her immediate control, and backed up everything she said.

"We will attack tonight! Make any final preparations and meet back here at 8 p.m. sharp. Don't be late!"

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I was out in the flower fields all day. Night fell and I was sitting there, gazing at the Earth. Even though it still hurt, it was so beautiful to look at from where I was. Something about the silence of night really completed the picture. I started to zone out for a while, when suddenly, Mars came running out screaming, "Venus! We're under attack!"

I quickly jumped up with my heart racing. I ran inside to find countless soldiers there, wreaking havoc and slaughtering anyone they could find.

_Who are these peop- wait. I recognize some of them. They're… from Earth? But why? Why are they doing this?_

I started firing my crescent beam at as many of them as I could, but there were too many. The four of us couldn't handle thousands of people at once.

A creepy woman was ordering them around. "Find me the Legendary Silver Crystal! That is what will save us!"

She was after our most powerful resource. I didn't know who she was, but somehow she convinced them to attack our kingdom for it. The other guardians and I tried to lure them outside, so we'd at least have a better chance at hitting them all.

Endymion and Serenity came running out, completely shocked at what was happening like we were. Beryl looked at the prince with a smirk and said, "Thanks for hiring me, Your Majesty. You sure made this a lot easier."

She took a look at Serenity, the woman she despised the most, and sent a bolt of lightning at her. Endymion quickly pushed her out of the way and took the attack, which killed him instantly.

" _ENDY!"_ she shrieked. Without thinking, she grabbed a nearby sword from the ground and drove it into herself.

Beryl's immense satisfaction at that sight provided just enough of a distraction for the other three guardians to attack her together. This killed her and released the evil spirit that had her possessed. They ran over and held the body of their princess, mourning her and in doing so, letting their guard down to be attacked and killed by the others.

I was over on the other side and didn't even see what happened. After fighting off more soldiers than I could count, I was exhausted and wanted to collapse to the ground. However, that's when I caught sight of Kunzite. Without any kind of hesitation, he came at me full-force with his sword. His eyes were red and he seemed almost inhuman. He was possessed by evil.

"Kunzite!" I cried out as I dodged his attacks. "Snap out of it! This isn't you. Come on!"

I was cornered. There was no way to dodge him now. I closed my eyes and cringed as I waited for him to attack, but instead I heard the knife drop. I wasn't aware of this at the time, but this was the very moment Beryl fell to her death, and the demonic possession and all the lies that had a stronghold on him left immediately.

At the same time… Adonis had driven a sword into Kunzite's back. He had come to the moon the minute he heard about the attack, and thought Kunzite was just an enemy. He looked at me for a second with sad eyes, and ran away to go fight off the others.

Kunzite collapsed to the ground and I ran to catch him as best as I could and sat down to hold him. His eyes were back to normal. And he looked up at me in the way that I had missed _so desperately…_

"Venus, my love…" he reached out a hand to gently touch my face. "I am so sorry. I let her take control of me. And her lies…" he cringed in pain from the stabbing before he could finish.

I placed my hand on his. "It's okay. It wasn't your fault. It was her. I'm just so happy to have you back. The real you."

"It's not okay. I am so, so sorry…"

Tears began to roll down his face. I had never seen that man cry before. Ever. The mere sight of it made me begin to weep.

"Please don't leave me. You can make it. We'll get you some help. Please hold on!"

"I don't think that's in my control anymore, love." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and opened them again and smiled at me like he used to. "I am just so happy that I truly got to see you one more time."

Tears were spilling down my face harder than they ever had before. No pain was worse than this.

"I love you." I squeezed his hand as he took his final breath.

"No. No. _NO!_ " I screamed as I started to bawl.

I sensed someone standing over me. I managed to catch my breath and look up to see who it was.

"I told you that you would pay," Carly said before she drove her sword into my chest. My world went black.

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All the moon inhabitants lay dead on the battlefield. All but one: Queen Serenity. She stood on the roof of the palace, raising her wand up and unleashing the power of the Legendary Silver Crystal; sending us into the future and turning the kingdom into stone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that concludes this very long story.
> 
> Please leave constructive feedback. I'm always looking to improve my general writing skills and styles. This story went through the entire Shades of Purple album, though the songs were in a different order and there were a few times I had to slightly alter the lyrics to make them more fitting, but only a little. I won't lie, M2M's lyrics are generally very cheesy on this album and they're not one of my favorite groups or anything, but it's fun music, classic, and pretty well put together. I've been listening to them a lot lately and every song made me think of the Venus and Kunzite ship. Hence, this story was created.
> 
> This fic wasn't as spiritual as most of mine are, other than a few parts; kinda focused mostly on integrating the album. I'm probably going to take a break from VenusxKunzite stories for a while (even though they're my favorite) and focus on something else for next time. I'm thinking about going back to Pokemon, focusing on a different Senshi/Shitennou pairing, or doing some other franchise completely. I'm open to any suggestions, requests, etc. If you have any, please leave them in the comments (as well as feedback). Thanks (:


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